Welcome to Aftermath, a portion of our First Line email newsletter where Attorney Anthony L. DeWitt walks you through a real-life self-defense incident and shares his key takeaways.
A Pennsylvania man and his wife were visiting the home of one of the wife’s former in-laws when a family conflict turned violent.
According to police, the wife’s ex-husband attacked her current husband while they were inside the home. The ex-husband threw the man to the floor, pinned him on his back and repeatedly punched him in the head and face. The attack did not stop there. The assailant then grabbed a picture frame and struck the defender with it multiple times.
The defender drew his lawfully carried concealed firearm and shot the assailant twice. When police arrived, the defender was bleeding from his face. He told investigators he believed the ex-husband intended to kill him.
The attacker later died at a hospital.
How long should someone endure a violent assault before using deadly force to stop it? How do you prepare to defend yourself when visiting someone else’s home?
My guess is the wife had a good relationship with her ex in-laws but the ex-husband had to make a scene. If I read it correctly, it wasn’t the ex’s home.
As soon as you see an incoming attack, seize the opportunity and go for the face, the throat, gouge the eye, etc. No holds barred, the only rule is to survive. Why “endure” a violent assault when you can prevent it?
Once that person, as in the story, puts me to the ground and starts bludgeoning my face, I would be in fear of grave bodily injury due to my spinal disability
GLOVES COME OFF ! Round to the groin oughta do it!
Now he’s an Ex-EX! Thanks for playin’. WHAT? Too harsh?
NO ONE is beating my face in and THEN using a picture frame to cut me to ribbons? I don’t think so.
Just making a point NOBODY BLOODIES ME anymore. I’m not waiting around to see how bad it might get before I feel the ‘Authorities’ may cut me some slack and NOT send me to prison for defending myself. They may not like me having 'Hydra-Shocks- in my .44 but tough nuggies! STOP THE THREAT AS FAST AS POSSIBLE
Consider if the woman had kids with the ex the in-laws are still the grand parents. As long as the in-laws are decent they should have contact with their grand children.
I honestly don’t know how long I would have waited before defending myself, but I generally think it would be at the onset of the attack. I am not a young man anymore. I’m not going to wait around to see if someone stops attacking me.
I’m sure it is all situational. Maybe the guy waited because he didn’t have a clear shot?
Stuart, sooooo true! Just look at all of the old and withered, FOR REAL, bad-asses. (Sammy the Bull for example). My niece could easily run through him now. If we have to wait to be ENGAGED, OR to be SLAMMED to the ground, we are ALREADY DONE!!!
Violent attack ends before it starts. See it coming; Unass the area immediately, unless it’s in your own house. Can’t retreat? Then use whatever you have to stop the threat. Just use common sense and try to keep your temper under control. Been there. Done that. Married 7 times, all had children, so there’s gonna be a father in there somewhere. Several confrontations with ex-whatevers. Have some compassion for the father. I’m a father myself. BUT; I draw the line at physical confrontation. I’ve been beat up pretty bad a couple of times. Last time was the last. I’ll face prison before it happens again.
At 5’7" and 170lbs I’m not boxing, fighting, grappling, or in any way depending on size or strength to help me. I learned young that the best way to stop an aggressor is fast, violent, and relentless defense. I’m no longer young. I will choose the most expedient method to neutralize danger. I’m not too proud to run. I will not permit anyone with malice to harm me or mine. The defender in the OPs story is far more patient than I would have been. Someone that attacks that persistently warrants immediate action to stop the threat. Kudos to him.
or octagon. There’s no break after 3 or 4 minutes.
ball, hesitation could prove fatal.